HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, It is generally accepted that a four-year college 1-2 education guarantees a successful career, but experience has shown 1-3 that many students choose not to attend a four-year institution 1-4 directly out of high school; many students choose instead to attend 1-5 a technical school or pursue a two-year associate's degree from a 1-6 junior college; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Society is, for the most part, ignoring these 1-8 students and their academic needs for furthering their education to 1-9 develop marketable workplace skills, which are far different from 1-10 what the current secondary and baccalaureate education system 1-11 provides; and 1-12 WHEREAS, While the Texas Education Code allows for career and 1-13 technology education enrichment curricula to be offered, there are 1-14 far too many school districts that have opted not to make these 1-15 curricula available, either for financial reasons or due to the 1-16 perception that they are a student "dumping ground"; and 1-17 WHEREAS, If organized correctly by using area-specific data 1-18 from the Texas Workforce Commission, voluntary career and 1-19 technology academics will not become a student "dumping ground" but 1-20 rather a bonus to the high school diploma, and upon graduation, 1-21 students with parental guidance can focus on a college degree or 1-22 have the ability to further expand their career and technology 1-23 academics through a technical college, internship, or 1-24 apprenticeship; and 2-1 WHEREAS, In conjunction with a rigorous academic program, 2-2 voluntary career and technology education programs in Texas high 2-3 schools maximize students' productivity, provide leadership skills, 2-4 and better prepare graduates to take advantage of the many 2-5 employment opportunities that are being created in today's 2-6 demanding and increasingly technology-based marketplace; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Voluntary career and technology education programs 2-8 benefit not only graduates of these programs but also the technical 2-9 schools and community colleges that provide high-level, 2-10 job-specific, technical training and the businesses and industries 2-11 on the leading edge of the state's economic growth that are 2-12 increasingly reliant on a well-educated, highly skilled, and 2-13 technologically sophisticated workforce; now, therefore, be it 2-14 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-15 hereby support and encourage the future development and expansion 2-16 of voluntary career and technology academic programs throughout our 2-17 Texas high schools; and, be it further 2-18 RESOLVED, That the legislature encourage cooperative 2-19 partnership arrangements among Texas high schools, local community 2-20 colleges and universities, economic development councils, and 2-21 business leaders to accept the challenge for the productive future 2-22 and economic well-being of Texas. Keffer Christian Zbranek Seaman Coleman Deshotel Homer Luna _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 117 was adopted by the House on May 3, 1999, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 117 was adopted by the Senate on May 26, 1999, by a viva-voce vote. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor